**************************************
* Haskell B. and LML version 0.999.1 *
* now available from Chalmers *
**************************************
The time has come for yet another version of the Haskell
compiler hbc and for lmlc. Read the blurb below if you want
to know more.
-- Lennart Augustsson
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New Haskell B./LML release (0.999.1)
====================================
There is now a new version of the Haskell B./LML compiler available.
It is, naturally, free of charge. The best way (both for us and for
you) to get a copy is via anonumous ftp from
ftp.cs.chalmers.se (129.16.225.66) in pub/haskell/chalmers/lml-0.999.1.*.tar.Z
Make a suitable directory, get the file(s) (with binary ftp),
do 'uncompress < file | tar xf -', and follow the instructions in README.
Files:
lml-0.999.1.doc.tar.Z documentation and examples
lml-0.999.1.con.tar.Z contributed software
lml-0.999.1.bin-sun4.tar.Z binaries for SUN4
lml-0.999.1.bin-mips.tar.Z binaries for DECstations
lml-0.999.1.bin-symmetry.tar.Z binaries for Sequent Symmetry
lml-0.999.1.src.tar.Z source for the compiler
lml-0.999.1.lmlx.tar.Z source for the X windows interface
(These files should be unpacked in the same directory.)
The whole distribution takes a lot of space, but you only need to get the
binaries for the machines you are interested in. You don't have to
get the source if you don't want.
The Haskell system consists of a batch compiler, hbc, and an
interactive system, hbi. The compiler handles full Haskell 1.2
as defined in the report (published recently in SIGPLAN Notices).
Hbc also has some extensions that are off by default.
The interactive system can load code compiled with the batch
compiler to get better speed.
What's new in this release?
- An X windows interface (finally). The interface is in a
functional style, and is written from the Xlib level and up
in LML. It's available for both LML and Haskell. The widget
kit is still incomplete, but you can still do a lot. The documentation
is not quite finished, but there are several sample programs to
look at. The X-windows interface has been written by Magnus
Carlsson and Thomas Hallgren.
- Speed. The overloading mechanism has been speeded up considerably.
There is now a possibility of specializing overloaded functions
to get decent speed. Apart from the overloading there is also
a general speedup. (We now beat the Glasgow GHC Haskell compiler on
almost all benchmarks again.) The general speedup for LML is 10-30%,
for Haskell it depends heavily on the amount of overloading.
Some of the new (slow) optimizations are not used by default;
use the -O flag to get them.
- Native code for floating point. The compiler used to do a function call
for each floating poiunt operation, but it now generates native code.
This gives a considerable speedup for some programs.
- A new way of compiling pattern bindings has been introduced
(you need the flag -fpbu to get it). It removes many space leaks
from inherently leaky programs. If you have space probles: TRY IT!
- Bug fixes and minor improvements. To numerous to mention.
All reported bugs have been fixed.
- A few more handy Haskell modules: A parser module and a module for
reading and writing data with the same binary format as C uses.
- Some signals can now be handled by the Haskell program.
- LML arrays are now called LArray instead of Array not to confuse
things when LML and Haskell are mixed.
- LML arrays are now called LArray instead of Array not to confuse
things when LML and Haskell are mixed.
The compiler runs on a number of machines, but only under UNIX (so
far). The machines and OS on which this distribution runs are
SUN4 SunOs 4.x
Sequent Symmetry Dynix 3.x
PC 386BSD
PC linux
DECstation 3100 Ultrix 4.x
The following machines were once supported and could be made to work
with some effort.
SUN3 SunOS 4.1.2
IBM RS6000 AIX
Sequent Balance (this version has not been used for a
while, but probably works)
CRAY XMP Unicos
IBM RT/PC BSD 4.3
VAX BSD 4.3
ARM
The distribution contains binaries and source (in LML) for the
compiler and some contributed programs, as well as some documentation.
Known problems that will be remedied in soon:
- The compiler is available on a limited number of platforms.
Popular demand will determine the future of the others.
- Eq and Ord operations may be slower with this release than
the previous.
- The interactive system does not work on DECstation.
- There is a bug in the interactive system causing it to sometimes
crash when a ".hs" file is used.
If you have any problems send us mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Lots of people have contributed with code, bug fixes, suggestions, etc.
A big thanks to you all, but especially to
Jan Sparud anti-leakage
Magnus Carlsson, Thomas Hallgren windows
Lennart Augustsson Thomas Johnsson
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Computer Sciences
Chalmers University of Technology
S-412 96 Gothenburg
Sweden
